Adjustable gage for sewing machines

ABSTRACT

A sewing machine gage for controlling the distance between a stitch and edge of thin, delicate fabric, as well as heavier fabrics. The gage comprises a frame member provided with a magnetized bar for securing the gage against lateral displacement on a sewing machine table. A pair of pins secured to the frame are received in the sewing machine table to prevent the lateral displacement of the gage. A ferrous gage member is slidably and pivotably mounted on the frame to permit its adjustment at a desired position. The gage member is provided with a gage foot and a magnetized element for holding down the gage foot in intimate engagement with the table surface of the sewing machine. The magnetized bar holds the ferrous gage member in a selected position at a selected distance from the stitch.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Arthur Kalish 64-10 Dieterle Crescent, Rego Park, N.Y. 1 1374 [21] Appl. No. 791,713 [22] Filed Jan. 16, 1969 [45] Patented May 11, 1971 [54] ADJUSTABLE GAGE FOR SEWING MACHINES 2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 112/153 [51] lnt.Cl D05b 35/10 [50] Field of Search 112/153, 136,141, 143,152

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 269,049 12/ 1 882 Habbert 112/ 153 3,155,060 11/1964 Brenner 112/153 3,379,148 4/1968 Kalish Primary Examiner-H. Hampton Hunter Attorney-Jacob L. Kollin ABSTRACT: A sewing machine gage for controlling the distance between a stitch and edge of thin, delicate fabric, as well as heavier fabrics. The gage comprises a frame member provided with a magnetized bar for securing the gage against lateral displacement on a sewing machine table. A pair of pins secured to the frame are received in the sewing machine table to prevent the lateral displacement of the gage.- A ferrous gage member is slidably and pivotably mounted on the frame to permit its adjustment at a desired position. The gage member is provided with a gage foot and a magnetized element for holding down the gage foot in intimate engagement with the table surface of the sewing machine. The magnetized bar holds the ferrous gage member in a selected position at a selected distance from the stitch.

ADJUSTABLE GAGE FOR SEWING MACHINES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to sewing machine gauges. More specifically it relates to an adjustable gauge for positioning, guiding and controlling the distance between a stitch and an edge of a thin, delicate fabric, although the gauge may be employed with equal effectiveness with heavier fabrics.

Known adjustable gauges used with sewing machines have certain disadvantages. When used to control and guide fine and delicate fabric seams, the fine fabrics have a tendency to slide under the underside of the gauge thus getting caught thereunder and interrupting the orderly advancement of the fabric by the sewing machine and causing undesirable variations of the distance between the stitching and the edge of a seam which is being sewn. Additionally, these known adjustable gauges employ a variety of complicated means such as springs and the like for adjusting and holding the gauge guide surface at a desired distance from the stitch paths. v

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable sewing machine gauge which will prevent a slippage of a thin, delicate fabric thereunder and will maintain without interruption, a constant margin between the stitching and the edge of such fabric.

A further object of this invention is to provide an adjustable gauge of the above described character which dispenses with springs and complicated means for adjusting and holding the gauge guide surface at the required distance from the stitching.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable gauge which employs magnetized means securing the gauge elements to one another and to a sewing machine table.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable sewing machine gauge which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, efficient in operation and easy to use.

These and other objects of the invention will be readily apparent from the following specification and the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the gauge and part of a sewing machine foot with a fold of fabric to be stitched;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the gauge;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the gauge;

FIG. 4 is a cross section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 5 is a cross section taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the gauge generally indicated by the numeral 8 comprises a base 10 of a T-section formed with an upwardly extending portion 12, provided with a series of arcuate notches 14 which may be numbered, for example, from I to 9. The base 10 is further provided with a pair of pins 16 received in corresponding holes 18 of a sewing machine table 20, to prevent the lateral displacement of the gauge 8. Secured to the base 10 is a magnetized bar M, which holds down the gauge 8 to the table 20, thus preventing it from vertical displacement. The magnet M has, however, another important function which will be described hereinafter.

Pivotable and slidable on the base 10 of the gauge by means of a pin 22 extending through a slot 29 in said frame, is a gauge member 24. The pin 22 is rigidly secured to the gauge member 24 and is provided with a head 26 extending under the slot 29. The head 26 of the pin 22 thus prevents a vertical displacement of gauge member 24.

Gauge member 24, is made of a ferrous metal and is of inverted L cross section comprising a vertical wall 28 and a horizontal wall 30. The horizontal wall 30 is provided at one end with an extension 32 formed with a tooth 34 which is adapted to selectively engage with any of the notches 14. The gauge member 24 is further formed with a guide foot 36 to which is secured a magnetized bar M.

To set the gauge foot 36 at a desired distance from the needle 38, for guiding the edge 40 of a fabric 42, the gauge member 24 is slid, while in open position shown in FIG. 1, to a selected point and is pivoted in slot 29 to engage tooth 34 in one of the notches 14, while simultaneously bringing the vertical wall 28 of the gauge member 24 in contact with the magnetized bar M. The magnetized bar M thus secures, by magnetic attraction, the gauge member 24 in the selected position, such as shown in FIG. 2, where the tooth 34 is shown in the notch numbered 1, or in another selected position, shown in dotted lines, with the tooth 34 engaging in notch numbered 3 and so on. With the gauge secured in one of the desired positions, the guide foot 36 is held in intimate engagement with the face of the sewing machine table 20 by the magnetized bar, thus preventing the fine fabric fold 42 from slipping under the gauge foot 36, while the fabric fold 42 is being advanced under the foot 44 during the operation of the machine.

It should be noted that the magnetized bar M may also be adapted for use with existing gauges.

lclaim:

1. An adjustable gauge assembly comprising a base, means for securing said base to a sewing machine, a gauge for controlling the distance of a running stitch relative to the edge of a material and means for adjustably supporting said gauge on said base at a predetermined lateral distance from a needle of a sewing machine, said base comprising a frame of T cross section, said means for securing said base to a sewing machine table consisting of a first magnetized bar secured to said frame and a pair of spaced locating pins provided in said frame for engaging in a pair of respective holes of a sewing machine tablc, said frame having a longitudinally extending slot therethrough and a raised upper portion formed with spaced notches, said gauge comprising a ferrous longitudinal member of L-section having a vertical wall and a horizontal wall formed at one end with a toothlike extension for engaging in one of said notches, a pivot pin secured to said toothlike extension for pivotably and slidably displacing said gauge, a guide element secured to the other end of said gauge and holddown means for said guide element for intimately engaging the guide element with a surface of a sewing machine table to prevent the material from slipping under said guide element.

2. An adjustable gauge assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said holddown means is a second magnetized bar secured to said guide element. 

1. An adjustable gauge assembly comprising a base, means for securing said base to a sewing machine, a gauge for controlling the distance of a running stitch relative to the edge of a material and means for adjustably supporting said gauge on said base at a predetermined lateral distance from a needle of a sewing machine, said base comprising a frame of T cross section, said means for securing said base to a sewing machine table consisting of a first magnetized bar secured to said frame and a pair of spaced locating pins provided in said frame for engaging in a pair of respective holes of a sewing machine table, said frame having a longitudinally extending slot therethrough and a raised upper portion formed with spaced notches, said gauge comprising a ferrous longitudinal member of L-section having a vertical wall and a horizontal wall formed at one end with a toothlike extension for engaging in one of said notches, a pivot pin secured to said toothlike extension for pivotably and slidably displacing said gauge, a guide element secured to the other end of said gauge and holddown means for said guide element for intimately engaging the guide element with a surface of a sewing machine table to prevent the material from slipping under said guide element.
 2. An adjustable gauge assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said holddown means is a second magnetized bar secured to said guide element. 